Ecuadorian Quinoa and Vegetable Soup

I'm posting this now just for you Khrista ! I was sitting at my computer when your menu plan went up and saw that you wanted to try this. You are going to laugh when I tell you where I got the recipe ! From the website that you linked to in your Kale and Avocado Salad post !! I saw it in the drafts and clicked through there !!!

I reckon this meal would qualify for our foods of the world series since it is Ecuadorian ! The whole grain used in this soup ~ quinoa is an ancient Incan grain (that looks like tiny, pin-head sized beads) with a mild, nutty flavor and crunchy texture. You'll find it in health food shops ...


I'm not happy with my photo ... Next time I make it, I will try to take another one. I didn't have time to set up the tripod ... I had a hungry family waiting for dinner and turnip and potato patties in the frying pan. I was holding the spoon up with one hand, holding the camera with another. Add to that the shocking lighting in my kitchen at any time of day but especially at night and well ... here's the result.

It's funny that this is a Moosewood recipe ... I have been reading the Moosewood Restaurant Low Fat Favorites Cookbook ... got it from the library. It's fantastic ! I've flagged like 15 recipes I want to try from it !! Great cookbook ... If you can get your hands on a copy of it, you should !

OK OK ~ I'll stop talking and post the recipe !!!

Ecuadorian Quinoa & Vegetable Soup
from Moosewood Daily Special
serves 4 - 6

1/2 C raw quinoa
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 C chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 C diced potatoes
1 C chopped red or green bell peppers
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3 C water or vegetable stock
1 1/2 C chopped fresh or undrained canned tomatoes (14 1/2 oz. can)
1 C diced zucchini or yellow squash ( I used zucchini )
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice ~ or lime
chopped scallions, fresh cilantro, crumbled tortilla chips and/or grated Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese (optional, for garnish)

Thoroughly rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water. Set aside to drain. Warm oil in a nonreactive soup pot, add onions and salt, cover and cook on medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the quinoa, potatoes, peppers, spices, water or stock, and tomatotes. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add squash, cover and simmer 15 - 20 minutes, or until all veggies are tender. Stir in lemon juice. If desired, serve with a sprinkling of scallions, cilantro, tortilla chips and/or grated cheese.

I found this soup much less labor intensive than the original QVS posted here. And like I said in my menu plan post ... the kids RAVED about this soup !!! Gotta love that !!!

*** Edited 8-Oct-08 *** to say ... I forgot to mention that I made my own veggie stock for this one ! An hour before I wanted to start dinner, I chopped up a couple of carrots, onions, garlic and some greens. I put them in a stock pot with four or five cups of water, a bayleaf and 10/15 peppercorns. Brought it to the boil, turned down the heat, and let it simmer (covered) for an hour. Drained out the veggies and voila ... veggie stock. It was NICE too !!